Jon Gosselin: New Girlfriend, New Design Gig

Just weeks after splitting from his wife of 10 years, Jon Gosselin is back in the spotlight with a new career and a new girlfriend. Gosselin, 32, turned up in St. Tropez hand-in-hand with Hailey Glassman, the daughter of the plastic surgeon who performed Kate’s tummy tuck in 2006. The lovebirds spent the weekend along the French Riviera so Gosselin could finalize a deal to design his own line of children’s clothing with Ed Hardy designer Christian Audigier. Glassman will also have a hand in creating the kid-friendly fashions. “She’ll have a lot of input with Christian,” Gosselin told PEOPLE of Hailey’s involvement. “And I will, too.” And don’t forget the plus eight — Gosselin tells PEOPLE that his eight kids, who spent the weekend with Kate at the family’s Pennsylvania home, will model his designs in ads for the line. Audigier tells PEOPLE that he approached Gosselin with the idea after noticing that the reality show dad often wore his tattoo-inspired T-shirts on Jon and Kate Plus Eight. “He’s huge,” says the French designer, who may also collaborate with Gosselin on a specialty motorcycle collection. “Everyone knows this family. And everyone will know our clothes. They’ll be fun, easy clothes for kids.” But it wasn’t all work for Jon and Hailey. During the extended weekend aboard Audigier’s yacht, Gosselin and Glassman lunched at the Tahiti Club before cruising around the bay in a cigarette boat. The pair also went shopping at some of the high-end boutiques around St. Tropez, including Hermes and Prada. “They couldn’t take their eyes off each other,” a friend of Audigier’s tells PEOPLE. “They looked so happy to just be together.” “I feel very relaxed,” Gosselin told PEOPLE during his weekend escape. But, “every ten minutes I keep thinking about the kids and missing them.” A reunion will come soon enough: Gosselin is due back home on Tuesday where he will start filming new episodes of the family’s TLC series, which returns from hiatus on Aug. 3. — Michelle Tan; reporting by Jen Garcia and Dana Kennedy

His children are going to model clothes he co-designed with his girlfriend? That is TOTALLY inappropriate. Kate, now is one of those times when you need to intervene and put the kabosh on it. You have a say, don’t you?

Laura
on July 13th, 2009

Give the guy a break! He’s spent the last 10 years in Kate’s prison, screamed at, degraded, demasculated. He deserves some happiness after all this abuse from her. I hope he is happy and his clothing line does well.

carrie
on July 13th, 2009

I think both Jon and Kate are at fault. Kate does talk to Jon like he is a child. On the other hand, maybe she has reason to be angry. John always looks miserable on the show. I don’t think he enjoys it at all. I just read that he is starting a clothing line and that his children will be models for the clothing line. He can no longer complain about Kate exploiting the children because he’s doing it too. My husband is on Jon’s side simply because of the way kate treats him. Maybe if she was a little nicer to Jon, he would have been happier.

Katey
on July 13th, 2009

Wow ladies, calm it down. Is this really any of your business? Ok, so you don’t want your kids to wear his shirts, fair enough, but leave his love life out of it. You think what you see on TLC and CNN is the exact truth? Maybe they had ended things before 2 weeks ago, you don’t know. Who cares if she is 22, maybe she’s a great woman and you’re bashing her for no reason. They aren’t having an affair, Kate and Jon are done. Move on, grow up, and go start concentrating on your own marriages.

mcthom
on July 13th, 2009

It really says something when my five year old sees the picture and tells me she feel “ashamed of him” me too!

Nicole
on July 13th, 2009

What a jerk…he’s off with no cares in the world and Kate is left behind to care for all the kids…errrrr!

Sandra
on July 13th, 2009

Okay, isn’t she like 22 or 23? Can’t wait to see that playdate! Jon, the kids and Hailey!

Leah
on July 13th, 2009

I knew it. No wonder the a**h@%e was “kind of excited about his new beginning” according to him on that last taped show where they announced their separation. Kate was so distraught. Jerk!

Kathy
on July 13th, 2009

Instead of putting the effort into exploiting his children by designing clothes, why didn’t he put the same amount or more effort into seeking counseling and trying to save his marriage. I’m sure the kid would have appreciated that more in the long run.